Page 22 of A Found Family at the Cornish Country Hospital

‘I thought it was about time Jase and I came over.’ Aidan smiled, but it melted away as his father’s face clouded over.

‘Jase?’ Jimmy raised a questioning eyebrow, and it was clear his father’s best friend had no idea who Aidan’s husband was.

‘He’s Aidan’s housemate, and he’s not had a chance to see much of Ireland before. So he wanted to come over, isn’t that right, son?’ His father was giving him a beseeching look, but Aidan had promised he’d be authentic. He’d sworn it to himself and to Cian in the churchyard just hours before.

‘No, it’s not right.’ He turned towards Jimmy, ignoring the fact that his father’s mouth was opening and closing like a fish out of water. ‘Jase is my husband of over two years, but we’ve been together for more than ten. We came over here to tell the family that we’re trying for a baby, with the aid of a surrogate and an egg donor. But since my father clearly can’t even face up to telling anyone that his son married another man, even though Jase has given me the kind of happiness I never thought I’d have, I think this visit is over.’

Tears were burning at the back of Aidan’s eyes, but he wasn’t going to give a bully like Sean Kennedy the satisfaction of making him cry. He’d done it so many times in the past, and breaking down now would just play into all the stereotypes someone like his father pedalled. He’d called Aidan a nancy almost as often as he’d used his name in the last year he’d lived at home. And a man expressing difficult emotions, whatever their sexuality, had always been something his father had ridiculed. Instead, as the pain and anger that Aidan had tried so hard to bury welled up inside him, he clenched his jaw, determined not to allow either emotion to overwhelm him. Not even stopping to listen to what Jimmy was saying in response, he turned on his heel and headed back to the function room.

‘What’s wrong?’ His mother held out a hand as he stalked past her, but he couldn’t bring himself to reach out to her. A partof him felt guilty that he was leaving, when she’d clearly relished every moment she’d spent with him, but she’d choose his father every time. Just like he’d pick Jase. ‘Da just told Jimmy that Jase was my housemate. It’s enough that I’ve put my husband through hiding in the shadows for more than a decade when it comes to my family, but there’s no way I’m doing that to our child. You can come and see us whenever you want, Mammy, but I swear to God this is the last time I’ll ever come back here.’

‘Aidan, don’t, please.’ His mother was already crying, but he shook his head.

‘Don’t let the kids see.’ He held her gaze again, until she finally nodded, and he walked towards where the rest of the family were now engaged in a noisy game of twenty questions, confident that none of them had overheard what he’d said to his mother. ‘I’m really sorry, it’s been grand to see you all, but something’s come up – an emergency at the hospital has left them really short-staffed – and we’re going to have to go.’

‘You can’t leave already.’ His eldest sister, Siobhan, looked close to tears, and it was hard not to follow suit.

‘I’ll give you a call, and we’d love to see you all whenever you can make it over, wouldn’t we?’ Aidan turned towards Jase, who was looking shell-shocked, but who hadn’t questioned the announcement that they needed to leave. He’d know the reasons Aidan had given were utter nonsense, but he was clearly prepared to go with it, if that was what his husband wanted. Jase had his back, 100 per cent of the time. And, if it was possible, Aidan loved him even more in that moment than he ever had before.

There was a round of heartfelt goodbyes with his siblings and their children, and promises of visits from all of them. His mother’s body was rigid when they embraced, and he knew that holding in her emotions was every bit as hard for her as it was for him.

‘I’ll see you both soon.’ It was only when she said those words, that the tears finally began spilling out of her eyes, but she wiped them away vigorously with the aid of her napkin.

‘You’re welcome any time, for however long you want to stay, don’t forget.’ He hugged her one more time and then headed for the door, knowing that he’d allow himself to cry only after he’d told Jase exactly what had happened. He had his safe space, and his home, in the man he’d built his life with. He just wished he could be certain that his mother had the same thing.

12

It was almost 5p.m. in Cornwall, but only lunchtime in Florida, and Isla had been expecting to see her mother’s smiling face when the FaceTime call connected. But it was Lexi who answered, looking red-faced and clammy, and she was clearly out of breath as she uttered an unusual greeting.

‘God, what a morning!’

‘Are you okay, Lex? It’s not the babies, is it?’ The anxiety that plagued Isla when it came to the prospect of any of her family being ill, was already clawing at her throat.

‘No, but Mum tripped coming down the stairs and she’s badly broken her ankle. She’s going to be fine, but she’s in surgery now.’

‘Oh my God! What have the doctors said? Are you sure she’s going to be okay?’ Isla’s heart was thudding in her ears, and she suddenly felt a million miles away from where she needed to be.

‘They said once they’ve aligned the break, it should all be straightforward and she should be in and out of surgery within an hour. I was just heading to Walmart to get some ice chips and some other bits for when she comes round. But it’s so hot today, and lugging these two around with me is really starting to getold.’ Lexi was weaving her way between cars in a huge car park, as she spoke.

‘Oh Lex, I should be the one doing that; you’ve got so much on your plate already.’ Relief had flooded through Isla’s veins at the news that her mum’s accident didn’t sound serious, but guilt was stabbing at her all the same. Lexi had texted her a couple of days before to say that Josh had gone to Denver for work and that she was paranoid the babies would come while he was away, even though she still had over two months to go until her due date, but that at least she’d have their mum there if the worst happened. ‘I could get a flight out tomorrow, if I can clear it with work.’

‘No way!’ Lexi fixed her with the big sister look she’d perfected over years of Isla asking to borrow her stuff and often being turned down flat. Lexi had almost always relented in the end, but she knew how to give a firm no when she wanted to. ‘I need you to be able to come out when the babies are here, like we planned, not before. You’ll never be able to come over for three weeks then, if you take time off now too. Even if you could afford two lots of flights. And besides, aren’t you about to start the cycle for your egg collection?’

‘I’m just waiting for the call from the clinic, once the results of the screening tests have been confirmed as all clear. Then we can get started with the medication.’ Ten minutes ago, it had seemed like the most important thing in the world for Isla to get the go-ahead to help Aidan and Jase, but now the pull to be there for her own family was almost overwhelming. ‘But another month or two won’t be the end of the world; they haven’t even been matched with a surrogate yet, so any embryos we manage to make would have to be frozen anyway.’

‘I said no.’ This time Lexi clearly had no intention of backing down, and Isla couldn’t help noticing the definite shift in the accent her sister had developed since moving toFlorida. She sounded more American than British now, and the thought made the distance between them feel all the greater, as it so often did lately. Lexi hadn’t switched to calling their mother Mom, just yet though. ‘Mum feels guilty enough about this happening when she wanted to be able to help prepare everything for the twins, but she’ll be devastated if you put the egg donation on hold because of it.’

‘I didn’t think she was that keen on the idea.’

‘She just worries; you know Mum. Ever since Dad died, she’s wanted to protect us from anything bad happening, but she’s really proud of you.’ Lexi furrowed her brow. ‘A couple of days after you told us what you were planning, I found her crying. When I asked her why, she said it was because she knew how thrilled Dad would have been that you were doing this for someone else, because a donor like you had made all their dreams come true. It’s an amazing thing you’re doing, and if you dare let Mum’s ankle get in the way of that, it’ll break her heart. And I need you to make sure Nan and Grandpa Bill get over here after the twins are born. I want all my family together to celebrate. So you promise, right now, that you’ll stay put. Don’t make me break out the Lexi flick.’

Isla laughed at the look on her sister’s face and the mention of Lexi’s signature move, which she’d deployed whenever her little sister had annoyed her just a bit too much. She’d flick the side of Isla’s forehead, in what she’d claimed was an attempt to wake up her brain, because she clearly wasn’t thinking straight. It must have been more than a decade since Lexi had retired that move, and the two sisters had got even closer since their father’s death, but Isla still wasn’t going to risk it. ‘I promise I won’t come over, unless anything changes. Will you call me as soon as Mum is out of surgery? And promise to let me know if you decide you do need me after all.’

‘I promise. But right now, I need to get into my air-conditioned car, and drive to Walmart to stand in the refrigerated section until I don’t feel as if I’m being cooked from the inside out.’ Lexi sighed, as she finally reached her car. ‘I love you and I really am desperate to see you, but if you turn up here before you’ve donated those eggs, there’ll be hell to pay.’

‘Yes, ma’am.’ Isla grinned. ‘I love you too, and that nephew and niece of mine. So make sure you take good care of all three of you, and let me know if you need anything.’

‘I will, I promise, and I’ll call you again as soon as Mum’s awake.’ Lexi blew her a kiss and ended the FaceTime call. She trusted what her sister had said about their mother being okay, and that she was coping for now too. But that wasn’t going to stop Isla letting work know what was going on, and making sure she’d be able to take some emergency leave if anything changed. She knew Aidan and Jase would understand if she had to do that, but for now she’d keep her promise to Lexi and assume things would be going ahead as planned. She was just about to text Esther, when her phone started ringing again. Her heart racing, she looked at the number, terrified it might be Lexi again with unexpected bad news, but it was the fertility clinic.

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